Spring means it’s time to play outside—even in the rain! Or, if it’s too blustery, play inside in a small group (while still following the current health order protocols of course).
There are many fun family activities that you can do this spring. Hike a new trail and look for rocks, sticks, sea glass or other treasures. Or find something to do indoors. For ideas, read on…
Indoor Adventure Ideas
From arcades to rock climbing or laser tag, Quazar’s Arcade provides something fun and different to do. Game tokens range from 50 cents to $. You can also rent the Gamma Room for groups for 2 hours. quazarsarcade.com
Mr. Tubbs Ice Cream Parlor & Family Fun Zone is perfect for younger kids. They serve treats from floats to banana splits and have many flavours of ice cream. Each game costs about a quarter and you receive tickets that you can trade for prizes. mrtubbsicecream.com
On weekends, the BoulderHouse Climbing in Langford offers one-hour drop-in sessions in the TreeHouse area for children aged 4 to 12. The cost is $20 for the first child and $10for each additional child in the same family. This includes shoe rentals too. Parents are allowed to join in the fun for free, but keep in mind that the adult-to-child supervision ratio is one adult to two kids. boulderhouse.ca
Pre-book a time to visit the LEGO exhibit at the Sidney Museum (before March 31st). Admission to the museum is by donation. While you’re in Sidney, why not make a day of it by shopping or looking for wildlife from the pier. You never know what you’ll spot. sidneymuseum.ca
The Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea features an octopus plus many other sea creatures such as star fish and anemones in the touch tank. An annual membership for two adults and up to four children is $86.50. They have a great gift shop, too. salishseacentre.org
The Royal BC Museum’s feature exhibition Orcas: Our Shared Future will be extended until March 31. Take advantage of the opportunity to take a deep dive into the stories and science surrounding the orca, whether you are seeing the exhibition for the first time or returning to see it again. For the full experience, combine your visit with a viewing of Humpback Whales at IMAX® Victoria—a whale of a time! To purchase combination tickets to the Royal BC Museum and IMAX Victoria, please visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca.
If you’re looking for an indoor workout, why not gather your friends for laser tag at LaserCity Fun Centre. After your games, you can see how you ranked against the other team. It’s $14/person for two games and all the equipment is sanitized between groups. lasercityfuncentre.com
At home, one of my children’s favourite activities is to make food for our dolls and stuffed animals and then have a tea party with them. Bake bite-sized pancakes or cookies and take a photo to commemorate the occasion.
Another fun activity is to make bracelets or other jewelry, and then play store with real money and sell your creations. Exchange crafts with your friends or write them a letter and mail them a present.
Outdoor Adventure Ideas
Hike a new trail, pack a picnic, or explore a new beach. It can be fun to bring along dolls, stuffies or cars and have them traverse a mountain or explore logs on the beach. Maybe the dolls want to build a sandcastle. Perhaps the cars need to clear out some sand and rocks and build a new road.
My son loves collecting sticks and we have quite the collection in our yard. My daughter loves to look for crystals or rocks that may contain crystals in them such as quartz. She loves making jewelry with crystals and rocks. Driftwood, sea glass and the tops of acorns are great materials for decorating a fairy house or gardens.
Puddle jumping is another fun activity. And usually puddles aren’t hard to find! While you’re looking, count how many frogs, slugs, snails or Arbutus trees you see along the way. Create your own outdoor scavenger hunt.
Another fun idea is to take a favourite stuffed animal, LEGO figure or other toy outside for a photo shoot. Try posing the toy with different backgrounds and experiment with close ups, lighting and filters.
Spring is also a great time to sketch your garden plans and start counting flowers in your neighbourhood. Use chalk to write friendly and positive messages around your neighbourhood. See how many Little Free Libraries you can walk to in your neighbourhood.
No matter how you spend this spring, take time to be in nature with your family. Cherish each precious moment as you savour each budding blossom.